Foam plastic panel without truss members

ABSTRACT

A lightweight insulating panel is provided of large area suitable for building use which consists of a hard top and immediately there-below a lath or wire mesh with truss members fastened to the lath and rigid plastic foam surrounding the lath and the truss members.

United States Patent Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented FOAM PLASTICPANEL WITHOUT TRUSS MEMBERS 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

Primary Examiner--John E. Murtagh Attorney-Zachary T. Wobensmith, 2nd

US. Cl 52/309, 52/328, 52/341 Int. Cl E046 2/22, EO4b 1/24 Field ofSearch 52/340, 341, 309, 319, (Plastic Dig.), 602, 690--693, 327-333 l//"I: I v X .I 22 3 j 20 /7 w ABSTRACT: A lightweight insulating panelis provided of large area suitable for building use which consists of ahard top and immediately there-below a lath or wire mesh with trussmembers fastened to the lath and rigid plastic foam surrounding the lathand the truss members.

PATENTEU MAY25-l97l wry/r01.

EDWARD E, L s

By L

Arron/5r FOAM PLC PANEL WITHOUT TRUSS MEMBERS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention A lightweight insulating panel foruse in building construction utilizing a metal lath or the like withattached truss members and having foam plastic surrounding the lath andtruss members and with a smooth hard board providing an upper surface.

2. Description of the Prior Art Various attempts have heretofore beenmade to provide lightweight prefabricated building panels. These panelsmust have a rigid structure, be capable of covering a large area, beinert and resistant to moisture and/or water, and be relatively easy tomake. The panels previously available were heavy, required complicatedforms for their construction and lacked any real cost saving overcomparable panels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention a lightweightinsulating building panel of large area is provided which may include ahard' upper sheet with a layer of metal or other lath or wire mesh belowit to which a plurality of steel trusses are attached, the trusses andlath being surrounded by rigid plastic foam.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a panel oflightweight construction with heat and sound insulating qualities andcovering a large area.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a panel that canbe inexpensively and quickly produced.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a panel that iseasily attached to metal supporting beams and is useful for both floorsand roofs.

'Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will beapparent from the description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The nature and characteristic featuresof the invention will be more readily understood from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings formingpart thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a panel in accordance with thepresent invention during the making thereof with the panel turned upsidedown;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view, enlarged of a panel in accordancewith the invention, taken approximately on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view, enlarged, taken approximately onthe line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of a panel installed for use;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view, enlarged, taken approximately onthe line 5-5 of FIG. 4, parts being broken away to show the details ofconstruction; and

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view. enlarged, taken approximately onthe line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawingsherein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications andchanges can be made in the structure disclosed without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now more particularlyto the drawings, the panel 10 as therein illustrated preferably includesan upper lamina 11, which preferably has a smooth exposed surface 12.The lamina 11 if used, may be of any desired relatively hard rigidmaterial which is resistant to abrasion and to moisture and whichprovides an exposed protected panel face. The lamina 11, in a particularembodiment can be compressed wood fibrous material, available under thename Masonite of a thickness of one-eighth of an inch and with aroughened surface 13 opposite to the exposed surface 12.

A lamina 15 is provided of foraminous material such as high rib metallath, or turkey wire of about l2 /2gauge wire mesh, with spacing of 4inches by 2 inches spaced from the surface 13 of the lamina 11 if thelamina 11 is used.

A plurality of spaced parallel trusses 16 are employed of any desiredtype. The trusses 16 are advantageously bar joists of suitable size andstrength in accordance with the characteristics required for a specifictype of installation. The trusses 16 shown have top and bottom bars 17and 18 with diagonal connecting bars 20 welded thereto.

The top bars 17 are preferably of the same length as the laminas 11and'l5 while the bottom bars 18 may be shorter for clearance. The topbars are preferably secured at spaced locations therealong to the lamina15 by wire fasteners, clips or be welding.

lnterrnediate the top and bottom bars 17 and 18 and preferably fromabout one-eighth to one-half of the height of the trusses 16 from thetop, end bearing plates 22 are provided, secured to a plurality ofdiagonal bars 20.

A fill and covering 25 of stabilized plastic foam is provided which isapplied so as fill in the interstices of the lamina l5, and extends inspaced relation therefrom between the trusses 16 about one-third of theheight of the trusses as at 26, and above and below the lamina l5, andpreferably so that the top bars and lamina 15 are about midway betweenthe top and bottom of the covering 25. If the lamina 11 is used the foamis preferably adherent thereto.

Truss covers 27 of plastic foam integral with the remaining portions ofthe foam are also preferably provided which encase and extend along thetrusses l6 and beneath the bottom bars 17.

While the plastic foam can be of any preferred material which is stableafter application polyurethane foam is preferred.

The panel 10 can be fabricated in any desired manner. One suitable modeof making the panel consists in providing a lower mold 30 of rectangularshape and of a size corresponding to the desired size of panel 10. Thelower mold 30 has sidewall portions 31, end wall portions 32 and abottom wall 33 on which the lamina 11 is placed with its smooth surface12 facing downwardly.

The trusses 16 have the bearing plates 22 secured thereto and the lamina15 and trusses 16 are assembled and secured together and the lamina 15is placed in position, supported by the bearing plates 22 resting on theend wall portions 32 of the mold 30, with the lamina 15 spaced from thelamina 11 if the lamina 11 is used.

The material to provide the foam is then supplied into the molds afteran upper and covering mold 35 has been placed in position, covering theprojecting portions of the trusses 16.

The application and curing of the foam fill and covering 25 is thencompleted so that the foam is in engagement with the lamina 15 and atleast part of the trusses 16, the foaming action being utilized ifdesired to provide the truss covers 27.

Upon completion of the foam formation, the upper mold 35 is removed andthe completed panel 10 is removed from the mold and oriented whendesired for use.

The panel 10, is use, can be supported by the bearing plates 22 engagedon beams B and the edges of contiguous panels 10 sealed, preferably bysolidifiable plastic foam to provide a leakproof structure.

The panel 10 constructed as herein described is strong, has excellentheat insulating and sound insulating properties and is particularlysuited for use as a ceiling panel and as roof panel with roof coatingsand coverings applied to the exposed face thereof.

I claim:

1. A panel for use in building construction comprising a rigid facelamina of sheet material having an interior surface,

a foraminous lamina in closely spaced and parallel relation to saidinterior surface of said face lamina and having a side face oppositelydisposed with respect to said interior surface,

truss members.

3. A panel as defined in claim 1 in which said foraminous lamina is ofmetal lath.

4. A panel as defined in claim 1 in which said foraminous lamina is ofwire mesh.

5. A panel as defined in claim 1 in which said truss members are barjoist members.

2. A panel as defined in claim 1 in which said covering member extendsin enclosing relation to said truss members.
 3. A panel as defined inclaim 1 in which said foraminous lamina is of metal lath.
 4. A panel asdefined in claim 1 in which said foraminous lamina is of wire mesh.
 5. Apanel as defined in claim 1 in which said truss members are bar joistmembers.